Graduation: Checkout sheet’s a nightmare

When I was a sophomore, I had classes with a lot of seniors, so I watched them go through the graduation process with a lot of confusion.

As a senior now, I particularly dislike one thing about that process: the checkout sheet.

I dislike it not because it’s difficult to get signed or comes with some other major problem. I dislike it based on a fault of my own.

I’m pretty scatterbrained, but also hyper-aware, so even though the checkout sheet is just a few steps above insignificance, I still stress about the high chance of me completely spacing out and forgetting to turn it in.

Even before they give us the checkout sheets, administration emphasizes how make-or-break these pieces of paper can be.

Oh, a senior forgot to turn in their sheet before Wednesday? Boom — no diploma until they turn it in.

Can you imagine walking across the stage and being so happy to get your diploma only to reach the table and pick up an index card telling you that you don’t get your diploma until you fix whatever you messed up?

I shudder just thinking about it.

It sounds so simple to just turn it in, but there are so many things on a senior’s mind besides one piece of paper. It’s easy to forget about it.

Don’t get me wrong. I completely understand why we have checkout sheets. It’s important for administration to verify that all of our responsibilities to the school are completed or resolved.

But it still freaks me out.